A Buyer’s Guide to Pool Heaters

Your pool is a long-term investment that you, your friends and your family enjoy year after year. With a climate that fluctuates as much as it does in Brantford throughout the spring and summer months, swimming pool heaters makes it possible for you to enjoy your swimming season from May all the way until October.

With so many pool heater options out there from gas and electric to solar with a variety of brands to choose from, it can be overwhelming trying to find the best heater for your pool. That’s why our experts have put together this buyer’s guide to educate you about the differences between each type of pool heater.

Gas Pool Heaters

Gas pool heaters are one of the most popular ways to warm a pool. The gas heater’s flames heat water quickly and, depending upon the model, can be fairly efficient.

Most gas heaters run on natural gas piped in from the utility company, but you can get a propane-fueled pool heater if natural gas isn’t available at the site of the equipment.

The most common type of gas heater is a coil heater, also called a flash heater. The pool’s pump draws water through a heating coil located above the gas-fired flames of the unit’s combustion chamber. The flames then heat the water as it passes through the coil.

Convection gas heaters are a great option for a small pool or spa as it has a single large flame that heats slow-moving water in a large tube. Other spas are heated by a tank heater that operates like a standard home hot water tank, keeping a tankful of water hot ready to be supplied to the spa.

Heat Pump & Electric Pool Heaters

An electric pool heater operates on the same principle as an electric hot water tank. An electric current heats a coil, which in turn heats the water. Compared to the ability of other energy sources to heat water, such as propane or natural gas, it is a relatively slow process.

A good use of electricity to heat a pool is through a heat pump. Like air conditioners, which transfer warm indoor heat to the outside, heat pumps transfer warm outdoor air to the water. The air heats the refrigerant, the compressor further heats the air, the air is eventually compressed into a very hot gas, and a heat exchanger transfers the heat to the pool water.

Heat pump pool heaters generally cost more than gas heaters but they use a lot less energy and last longer. Since they rely on transferring warm air to the water, they work best when the air temperature remains above 10 degrees Celsius to borrow warmth from the surrounding air.

Solar Pool Heaters

Growing in popularity and efficiency, solar swimming pool heaters cost a lot upfront but have very low operating costs and tend to last longer than gas or heat pump heaters.

If you are building a new pool, consider its position in relation to the sun. If it has a good southern exposure, with little shade, then you may not need a heater at all on sunny days.

In a typical setup, the solar pool heating system is a loop that is bypassed if the water in the pool is already warm enough. If the water needs heating, a valve sends water through the system. Of course, solar heat can’t operate at night or on a cloudy day and only works when the pump is running. For these reasons, many people choose to also have a standard gas heater, which kicks on when the water is cool and the solar collector cannot deliver sufficient heat.

What size pool heater should you get?

You can run rough calculations to try to determine what size pool heater is best for you, but ultimately, it’s best to have a local pool expert determine the right size heater for your pool because many factors go into the calculation. These include the surface area of the pool, and the difference between your average air temperature and your desired water temperature.

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Keep your pool at a comfortable temperature all summer long with a pool heater from Crystal Heating & Cooling. If you’re looking for an energy-efficient, high performance heater, our Universal H-Series pool heater from Hayward may be the right fit for you.

Looking for a heater to warm up a pool up to 15,000 gallons? That’s where our MasterTemp 125 pool heater comes in from Pentair.

Offering only the best pool heaters in Brantford and the surrounding areas, Crystal wants to prepare you for your best summer yet! Dive into summer and contact us today to discuss which pool heater is the best fit for your pool.